Santry Cross / Ballymun apartment - that bad??

Jimmy Bottlehead

Hey.

Just flicking through the threads on here, noticed there's a lot of negativity with regards renting at Santry Cross. Just started renting an apartment there recently, but everything seems grand? I was 20 minutes walk away in Santry before this, and feel just as safe as I did. In the Hampton complex now.

Any things to look out for specifically?

Cheers.

Victor

Ballymun had a very bad reputation through lack of employment an services. Things have improved.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Victor wrote: »

Ballymun had a very bad reputation through lack of employment an services. Things have improved.

Aye, I'm a culchie but had a mate who lived in the towers til they were knocked - towers were some experience. But I can't understand how the new apartments are getting flak so much... I've lived on the South Side, in the most expensive student accomodation, and this is far nicer. Just keep expecting something bad to happen here, like the building falling down

connundrum

In a previous life I used to manage the apartments in Santry Cross Phase 1 (which is where the Lithuanian Supermarket and Estate Agents are located).

The problem with this site is that it was poorly designed, there are 4-5 separate blocks, each block with 3-4 own entrances/exits which were constantly being vandalised, which in turn detracted from the safety of each block. Well, either the doors were vandalised or they were very poor quality at the beginning which didn't help matters.

In my time the residents felt constantly under attack from local youths, throwing stones, breaking into cars, burning out cars, verbally abusing them etc - this could have changed now though.

A major problem with the site was that the majority of apartments were held by investor owners, who were slow to pay management fees, which in turn led to a break down in service provision i.e. the lifts could be out of order for several months, common area cleaning could be stopped for weeks on end etc.

For some reason - Santry Cross Phase 2 (across the road, attached to Days Hotel) was always in a better state. Possibly because there were more owner occuppiers, and less investor owners.

antoinolachtnai

The situation in Santry Cross has improved significantly in the last two years since Corcoran Jennison took over as management agent.

It is basically a very nice block with very comfortable apartments.

I understand that some of the cleaning/janitoring staff now live in the development, and that CJ have a full-time manager for the entire development.

Circumstances in the area have also changed, with the demolition of certain blocks. But the big difference is the management.

connundrum

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

The situation in Santry Cross has improved significantly in the last two years since Corcoran Jennison took over as management agent.

It is basically a very nice block with very comfortable apartments.

I understand that some of the cleaning/janitoring staff now live in the development, and that CJ have a full-time manager for the entire development.

Circumstances in the area have also changed, with the demolition of certain blocks. But the big difference is the management.

I would agree with that, the place needed full time attention and a 24 hour presence between security and cleaning staff.

The apartments are actually quite nice inside, very spacious.

January

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

The situation in Santry Cross has improved significantly in the last two years since Corcoran Jennison took over as management agent.

It is basically a very nice block with very comfortable apartments.

I understand that some of the cleaning/janitoring staff now live in the development, and that CJ have a full-time manager for the entire development.

Circumstances in the area have also changed, with the demolition of certain blocks. But the big difference is the management.

I have to say, I disagree completely! I lived in the Turnpike last year and they were nothing but bad. The lift was out of order for months and still wasn't fixed when I left (Lived on top floor, was 8 months pregnant, couldn't bring a baby up and down the four flights of stairs especially when it was raining because the rain used to poor into the hall and make it very very slippy and unsafe!). People kept leaving their black bags in common areas as they were too lazy to bring them down to the bins in the underground car park, which in turn made the place smell awful! The patio on the top floor was a wreck, two weeks after I moved in, my mother came up to visit and walked out onto the patio and nearly fell through a tile that was not secure! The kids used to abseil down the side of the apartment block!

All of this was brought to the attention of CJ and they did nothing! Said they would send a letter around to all tenants about the problems, we never received one! Got my landlady to ring them about the problems there and they verbally abused her on the phone! (I know because I heard the conversation).

Although the apartment I lived in was lovely and spacious, I just couldn't justify living there anymore, so had to move out.

In contrast, I also live in the Claremont (Days Hotel side) and found it perfect! Far better looked after than the other side of the road!